Ireland Hollow Victory

% A dense fog hung over Kilkenny's main street as a cold but patient crowd waited an hour for their candidate. When Fianna Fail Leader Charles Haughey, 61, finally appeared, neither damp nor gloom could muffle the cheers. Jumping from his car and springing into his campaign bus, the gray-haired Haughey apologized for his tardiness, then pledged, "It'll take more than fog to stop Fianna Fail this time around."

Haughey (pronounced Haw-hee) was almost right. In last week's Irish election the Fianna Fail (Soldiers of Destiny) party won 44.1% of the vote, giving it 81 seats in the 166-member Dail Eireann, or House of Representatives. But that was three short of an absolute majority, thus forcing the Republic of Ireland into a period of minority government. Ruling by compromise will be difficult for the autocratic Haughey, who has won the nickname "the Boss."

Elections took place ten months ahead of schedule after the coalition government of Garret FitzGerald collapsed last month. The fall of the Cabinet was precipitated by FitzGerald's attempt to tackle the country's economic problems through deep cuts in social spending. Rather than accept the reductions, four ministers walked out of the coalition.

The economy was the issue in a campaign of mostly familiar faces. FitzGerald and Haughey have each served as Prime Minister twice. Nearly 20% of the country's workers are unemployed, taxes are the most onerous in Western Europe, and the national debt is a staggering $33 billion. While FitzGerald and his Fine Gael (Family of Irish) party called for belt tightening, Haughey used the gift of gab, refusing to commit himself to cuts and promising vaguely to stimulate growth. Nonetheless, Haughey, the strong front runner throughout the four-week campaign, stressed that coalition governments are weak and entreated voters to give him a strong majority.

Haughey will probably form a minority government with the help of a few independents. Neither of the two largest parties, FitzGerald's Fine Gael, which holds 51 seats, or the Progressive Democratic Party, which won 14 seats, is expected to block Haughey's plans as long as he holds down government spending. The cobbled-together government, however, will not have the authority to solve Ireland's pressing economic troubles.